Hundreds of pro-Vidarbha leaders from all major political parties, except Shiv Sena, today courted arrest during a ‘Jail Bharo’ agitation at various places here.
Prominent leaders, including former Union Minister and Nagpur MP Vilas Muttewar, former MPs - Jambuwantrao Dhote, Prakash Ambedkar (Bharip BMS), Banwarilal Purohit (BJP), BJP MLAs - Sudhakar Deshmukh, Krishna Khopde, courted arrest on the issue.
The leaders gathered at Reserve Bank Square and shouted slogans demanding separate Vidarbha. They were all picked up and taken to Police Line Takli, and later released, police said.
Former Maharashtra Minister of State for Finance, Madhukar Kimmatkar, former Vice-Chancellor Haribhau Kedar, Dr. Govind Verma, Umesh Choube, Congress MLA Dinanath Padole, Bharip BMS city president Ranjeet Meshram, Maya Chawre (SP) also courted arrest.
Mr. Ambedkar alleged that they were taken in a vehicle and were later told that they had been released, without any record being maintained by police.
Congress MP Datta Meghe along with his supporters offered arrest at his constituency Wardha.
A BJP report said party workers participated in large numbers at taluk and district headquarters.
Other smaller groups and organisations demanding separate Vidarbha state participated in the agitation. Mr. Muttemwar, later talking to reporters, alleged that police even did not bother to provide cool water to the agitators and neither were their names were recorded.
Mr. Ambedkar told PTI that they were taken in a vehicle and were told later that they have been released. No record was maintained by police.
Congress MP Datta Meghe along with his supporters offered arrest at his constituency Wardha.
A BJP report said party workers participated in large number at taluk and district headquarters. Party MP Sanjay Dhotre courted arrest in Akola.
Various other smaller groups and organisations, including one led by Deepak Nilawar, demanding separate Vidarbha state participated in the agitation for Vidarbha state.
